PAM for Paper Making (Retention & Drainage Aid)
Paper machines rely on polyacrylamide retention and drainage aids to hold fillers and fines in the sheet, speed up water removal on the wire, and stabilize the wet end. Our cationic PAM (retention) and anionic PAM (drainage / dual-polymer systems) grades are formulated for the papermaking wet end and for paper mill effluent treatment. Grades are selected by furnish type, machine speed, and whether a single- or dual-polymer program is used.
Polymer Selection by Paper Grade
Recommended retention/drainage aid grade and dosage by furnish and function
| Duty | Recommended Grade | Dosage & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fine paper (retention) | Cationic 8–12M MW, 20–30% CD | 200–600 g/t; first-pass retention |
| Packaging / OCC | Cationic 10–14M MW, 30–40% CD | 300–800 g/t; handles high anionic trash |
| Tissue | Cationic 6–10M MW, 10–20% CD | 150–400 g/t; soft formation |
| Dual-polymer program | Cationic + Anionic 12–18M MW | Micro-particle style retention + drainage |
| Drainage aid | Anionic 12–18M MW, 20–30% HD | 200–500 g/t; faster wire dewatering |
| Mill effluent (DAF) | Cationic/Anionic per sludge | 2–8 kg/t DS; clarifies white water |
Technical Parameters
| Application | Paper machine wet end + mill effluent |
| Recommended Type | Cationic PAM (retention) / Anionic PAM (drainage) |
| Molecular Weight | 6–18 million Da |
| Charge Density | 10–40% (cationic) / 20–30% (anionic) |
| Typical Dosage | 0.02–0.1% on dry pulp (200–1,000 g/t) |
| Function | Retention, drainage, formation, dry strength |
| Solution Concentration | 0.1–0.2% |
| Packaging | 25 kg PP woven bags |
Key Advantages
- Single-polymer retention: medium-charge cationic PAM for fines/filler retention
- Dual-polymer system: cationic PAM + anionic PAM for high retention + formation
- Faster wire drainage — enables higher machine speed
- Improves first-pass retention and reduces white-water solids
- Works across fine paper, packaging, tissue, and board furnishes
- Also supplied for paper mill wastewater / DAF clarification
Paper Making Applications
- Fine paper & printing/writing grades
- Packaging & containerboard (OCC furnish)
- Tissue & towel machines
- Newsprint & mechanical grades
- Paper mill effluent (DAF / clarifier)
- Broke and white-water recovery
Dosage Guide
0.02–0.1% on dry pulp (200–1,000 g/t) depending on furnish and function. Confirm on-machine.
Frequently Asked Questions — PAM for Paper Making (Retention & Drainage Aid)
Which polymer do I need — retention aid or drainage aid?
Retention aids (usually cationic PAM) hold fillers and fines in the sheet for better first-pass retention. Drainage aids (often anionic PAM, or a dual system) speed water removal on the wire. Many mills run a dual-polymer program using both. Tell us your furnish, machine speed, and current program and we match grades.
What charge density should I use for my furnish?
It depends on the anionic trash in your system. Clean fine-paper furnish works with 20-30% charge cationic PAM. High-trash recycled/OCC furnish needs higher charge (30-40%) to overcome interference. Tissue typically uses lower charge (10-20%) for gentle formation.
Can PAM increase my machine speed?
Indirectly, yes. Better drainage on the wire and press section lets you run faster or reduce steam in drying. Mills switching to an optimized retention/drainage program commonly see 3-8% throughput gains, though results depend on the machine and furnish.
Do you supply both wet-end and effluent-treatment polymer?
Yes. We supply retention/drainage grades for the paper machine wet end, and separate CPAM/APAM grades for the mill effluent plant (DAF, clarifier, sludge dewatering). One supplier for both saves you logistics and gives consistent quality.
How do I trial your polymer against my current supplier?
Send us your furnish details (fiber type, filler, machine speed, current polymer and dosage) plus a white-water sample if possible. We recommend candidate grades and send trial quantities. Wet-end trials are best validated on-machine with retention/drainage measurement.
What is your MOQ and lead time?
MOQ is 500 kg. Standard lead time is 7-15 days depending on grade and quantity. We supply paper mills across Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and Africa in both bagged and bulk-bag formats.
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